


7. Eternity

by Iolre



Series: 100 Themes Challenge [7]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-06
Updated: 2013-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-04 11:54:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/710514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iolre/pseuds/Iolre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John attempts to have a discussion about the status of their relationship and gets propositioned in a way he had not seen coming. Set late 2016.</p>
            </blockquote>





	7. Eternity

“Sherlock, we need to talk.” John looked up at his boyfriend, watching a familiar mask settle over the taller man’s features. “Yes, I know you don’t want to.”

Sherlock’s face was the carefully neutral mask he wore whenever John brought up feelings or something he did not particularly want to talk about that day. John was getting better at reading the emotions under the mask, however, and could tell that Sherlock was a bit apprehensive. The few talks John had been successful in having with Sherlock had consisted of the details of various milestones in their relationship. Sherlock had came as close as he did to worrying about John’s happiness and his ability to cope with Sherlock’s behavior and had actually prompted their second talk. Sherlock often had resorted to distracting John using physical means, promptly ending the conversations John had began. It had been about a year since they had gotten together, and while John was more secure in their relationship he knew some things could still set Sherlock on edge.

Sherlock cleared his throat, drawing John’s attention back to his face. “This isn’t about the one-year thing, is it? I did warn you not to expect sentimentality.”

John rolled his eyes, noticing that Sherlock relaxed minutely as he did so. “I know exactly what to expect from you when it comes to sentiment, Sherlock.”

“Good.” Sherlock’s voice left John with the impression that he did not understand what else there was to talk about. John smiled slightly, and chuckled as he noticed Sherlock’s eyes narrow. Although Sherlock’s deducing skills had improved greatly over the past year when it came to their relationship, there were still times where Sherlock got frustrated by the nuances he missed - or simply had not known existed. His knowledge of human behavior was vast, but not without holes.

It was fun watching Sherlock get antsy, John thought, his hands steepled under his chin. He watched Sherlock intently. Sherlock stared back for a bit, and John could tell he was trying to deduce what John was doing. John had to fight to maintain a serious expression. “Whatever you are doing, John, I don’t like it.”

“I’m not doing anything.” The corners of John’s eyes crinkled in silent mirth. Reading Sherlock’s body language and realizing he was about to have a fit, John relaxed slightly into the chair he was sitting in. His hands went to the arms of the chair and his posture became more open. It was fascinating how Sherlock’s posture reacted to John’s. Tension seemed to leave Sherlock’s body, although underneath the calm mask on his face there was still some suspicion. John smiled. The silence continued to drag on, John thinking of how best to phrase what he wanted to talk about.

Sherlock stood up, freezing the words in John’s partially open mouth. John’s eyes narrowed. Sherlock getting up randomly and walking purposefully was rarely a good sign, especially when John was trying to initiate a Serious Conversation. “What are you doing?”

Sherlock bent down in front of an extremely skeptical John. His piercing blue eyes were slightly mocking, his grin possessed by just a hint of wickedness. John’s hands tightened on the arms of the chair as Sherlock leaned in and his body tensed up. Sherlock ghosted his mouth over John’s, ending up by John’s ear. “What are you doing?” John’s body tensed up at Sherlock’s voice. The cadence was low and sexy, gently teasing. John found it incredibly attractive. This was a fact that Sherlock knew and enjoyed using to his advantage.

“Sherlock, what are you doing - no, this is a serious conversation!” John squirmed under Sherlock, uncomfortable.

“What kind of serious?” Sherlock moved his face until he was an inch away from John’s. John could feel Sherlock’s breath on his lips and it was making him dizzy. He was so tense that he flinched when Sherlock’s lips touched his. Without thinking he kissed the taller man back. He could feel Sherlock smirk against his lips.

“What! Sherlock!” John leaned back in his chair, away from Sherlock’s intense gaze and his admittedly soft lips. “No, none of this. Serious conversation.” Sherlock curved the edges of his lips suggestively and leaned in again. John placed a finger on the curly-haired man’s lips. “No.”

Sherlock settled back on his heels between John’s legs. He swept his eyes up and down John’s body before turning his piercing eyes on John’s darker ones, insistent. John recognized this look and sighed. To Sherlock, John saying no was a game. Despite John’s insistence on seriousness, John realized it might be futile to expect Sherlock to pay attention. “Fine.” Sherlock huffed and sat cross-legged in front of John. John stifled a whimper, as the position wasn’t much better than the one Sherlock had just vacated.

“We have to talk about the future, Sherlock.” John tried to school his expression into a serious one. He didn’t have much success. Sherlock’s hair was mussed and his lips slightly parted. His pupils had dilated slightly and he had just a hint of a flush high on his cheekbones. His gaze was wandering occasionally over John’s body, lingering occasionally in places John felt were highly inappropriate when they were trying to have a Discussion.

Sherlock rolled his eyes. “The future is boring, John.”

“We need to have a plan in place in case one of us is injured, or incapacitated. Hospital visitation rights, the works.” John swallowed. One of Sherlock’s hands had moved and was tracing small designs on John’s cheek.

“That’s boring, John.” Sherlock’s voice was soft, sensual. John had to swallow several times before he was able to speak. Sherlock was doing it on purpose.

“It’s not boring,” John forced out. Sherlock was inching closer and was proving to be quite the distraction. John was starting to squirm under the intense gaze. While Sherlock had never been shy about the physical parts of their relationship, John was a bit more careful out of concern for Sherlock’s level of comfort.

“Make Mycroft do the paperwork. He likes it.” Sherlock’s nose nudged John’s cheek before leaning in to kiss the corner of John’s mouth. He trailed across to kiss the other side of John’s mouth, teasing.

“Sherlock,” John said, attempting to sound angry. Sherlock smirked before leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to John’s mouth.

“Call Mycroft, make him do the paperwork.” Sherlock sat back on his heels and looked at John. The mask was gone, and Serious Sherlock had settled in.

John blinked several times. “Did you just agree to marry me?”

“Sentiment, John,” Sherlock scoffed. John sat back on his heels, trying to assimilate what had just happened. Sherlock made a show out of rolling his eyes. “You heard me, John. Paperwork is paperwork. Make Mycroft do it.”

John sat, and blinked. Yet apparently life had not changed, and his six-foot, sometimes unfeeling, emotionally stunted companion had apparently proposed. Marriage. John was broken out of his thoughts by Sherlock’s lips on his. “Stop thinking,” Sherlock advised. He grabbed John’s wrist, and the conscious part of John was aware he was being dragged in the direction of their bedroom. Sherlock had insisted on using John’s original bedroom as their bedroom, maintaining the downstairs bedroom as a center for Sherlock’s things and experiments.

John decided he could worry about what Sherlock had said later. If what Sherlock had said was true, then they had the rest of their lives to worry. He grinned at the thought and took allowed himself to be led. Problems could always be put off.


End file.
